Chapter 35: Tragedy Strikes
Alex and Ryan's happiness was short-lived. One night, as they were walking home from dinner, they were ambushed by a group of thugs.
Ryan tried to defend Alex, but he was outnumbered. He was brutally beaten and left for dead.
Alex was devastated. She had never felt such a deep loss before. She was consumed by grief and anger.
As she sat by Ryan's hospital bed, holding his hand and praying for his recovery, she received a visit from an unexpected person - Natasha.
Chapter 36: A Fake Repentance
Natasha walked into the hospital room, her eyes cast down in a fake show of remorse.
"Alex, I'm so sorry," Natasha said, her voice trembling. "I had no idea things would go this far. I was just so jealous of your happiness, and I let my emotions consume me."
Alex looked at Natasha skeptically, but as she saw the tears streaming down her sister's face, she began to waver.
"Natasha, how could you do this to me?" Alex asked, her voice shaking.
Natasha fell to her knees, begging for forgiveness. "Alex, please forgive me. I know I can never undo what I've done, but I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Alex looked at Natasha, and for a moment, she saw the sister she once knew and loved. She saw the good in Natasha, and her heart melted.
Chapter 37: Forgiveness
Alex took a deep breath and reached out to Natasha. "I forgive you, Natasha," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Natasha's face lit up with relief, and she hugged Alex tightly. "Thank you, Alex," she whispered. "I promise to never hurt you again."
As they hugged, Alex felt a sense of peace wash over her. She had forgiven her sister, and she was ready to move on.
But little did Alex know, Natasha's repentance was just an act. She had no intention of changing her ways, and she was already planning her next move.
Chapter 38: The Truth Comes Out
As the days went by, Alex began to notice strange behavior from Natasha. She would often disappear for hours at a time, and when Alex asked her where she had been, Natasha would become evasive and secretive.
Alex's suspicions grew, and she began to investigate Natasha's activities. She discovered a shocking truth: Natasha had hired the thugs who had attacked Ryan, and she had been manipulating Alex all along.
Alex felt a wave of anger and betrayal wash over her. She couldn't believe that her own sister had done this to her.
Chapter 39: Confrontation
Alex confronted Natasha about her discovery, and Natasha's mask of innocence slipped. She sneered at Alex, revealing her true nature.
"You're so gullible, Alex," Natasha spat. "You always were. I knew you'd forgive me, no matter what I did."
Alex was horrified. She realized that she had made a terrible mistake by forgiving Natasha.
"I'm going to make sure you pay for what you've done," Alex vowed, her voice shaking with anger.
Natasha just laughed. "You'll never be able to prove anything," she said. "I've covered my tracks too well."
But Alex was determined to bring Natasha to justice. She was ready to fight for what was right, no matter what it took.